The Refugee Crisis: What You Can Do To Help

As the world's attention continues to turn to the refugee crisis, it can be overwhelming trying to wrap your head around exactly what’s going on, and how you can help.

But this is important - so here’s what’s happening, and what you can do about it. Because if you’d lost your friends, family, and home, wouldn’t you want someone to help you out?

Why is there a refugee crisis?

Getty

This is the largest refugee crisis in Europe since WW11. So far in 2015 more than 350,000 people have already made the perilous journey across the Mediterranean Sea, many fleeing from war torn nations such as Syria and Afghanistan. That’s already 25% more than the whole of 2014. In Italy, 7,600 children have arrived alone this year, without any parents or families at all.

Many families and young people face such violence and conflict at home that they are setting out on potentially fatal journeys, just to try and find safety. The UN Refugee Agency has reported more than 2,500 deaths this year just from Mediterranean crossings. But, even if they survive the journey, once they arrive, refugees are now finding themselves unwelcome, under siege and unsafe yet again.

Though EU nations have agreed to take on 32,000 additional refugees over the next two years, this is just a small fragment of the total number of people who need refuge. Germany have suspended regulations on the number of refugees they can take on and are encouraging others to do the same. If we put pressure on our leaders to rethink their current status, maybe more countries will follow suit, and offer a home or protection, to those who need it.

What can you do to help?

Getty

It’s a huge problem, with no simple solution. But we can all do something to make a difference. Here’s how:

• Donate to Save the Children’s Child Refugee Crisis Appeal. All money will go towards Save the Children’s work with refugees across Europe and in the countries they are fleeing, to provide aid and support. You can donate here.
• Share, tweet and RT #RefugeesWelcome on Twitter – maybe alongside a picture of yourself holding a RefugeesWelcome banner. Together we can put pressure on the people who make decisions on our behalf, and show them that we want our countries to better support those who need our help.
• Seek out local petitions via change.org encouraging your country to do more to help refugees, or make your voice heard by tweeting your governmental leaders telling them you demand more.

Everything you do, big or small, can help. This problem won’t go away on its own - it’s up to all of us to play our part in working towards a solution.

Latest News

we just launched the ULTIMATE fitness workout series with ultra-babe danielle peazer!

Get To Know: Valeras

Geordie Shore's Sam Gowland Debuts Platinum Blonde Hair

The Real Reason Ariana Grande Has Been Hanging Out With Her Exes Lately

This Is Why Fans Think Kylie Jenner Is Secretly Pregnant With Her Second Child

Lizzo And Missy Elliott Have Just Dropped Their New Song ‘Tempo’ And It’s Fire

Geordie Shore Newbie Beau Brennan Strips Butt Naked To Reveal Tattoos

The Woodstock Line-up Is Here And Include Acts Such As Halsey, Jay-Z, The Killers And More

Noah Centineo Confesses If He Knows Who’s Playing John Ambrose In TATBILB Sequel

Kylie Jenner Is 'Trying To Find A Bigger Circle Of Friends' Following Jordyn Woods Betrayal

‘i’m so tired...’: Troye Sivan and Lauv Talk Playing Love Ghosts And Riding On Sunroofs In MTV Laid Bare